Grand River Fishing Report

Grand River Steelhead caught in downtown Grand Rapids
Grand River Steelhead caught in downtown Grand Rapids

With arrival of spring, warmer temperatures are starting to arrive and that means one thing on angler’s minds; steelhead. The Grand has bumped to around 6500 cfs as a result of the melting of what little snowpack we had. This bump in flow is what we need to start our spring steelhead run. Recent trips have shown that the run has yet to start. Not many new fish have arrived to the system yet. Water temperatures have been around the 36 degree mark, which is still a little cold for the fish. All the fish we have encountered over the last few days have been dark, hold over fish that have been living in the river all winter long. Not seeing the new, fresh fish from Lake Michigan has made fishing tough. Next weeks forecast is showing more rain and warmer air temperatures, which will help bring new steelhead into the system.

Right now, larger beads and spawn bags have been what is bringing fish to the boat. With the high and dirty water, these presentations are what works best this time of year. The fish need to be able to see and / or smell what you’re presenting in order to have results. Try presentations with brighter beads such as Super UV Orange, Super UV Peach, UV Fireball, and Chartreuse in 10mm-14mm. Beads are usually the preferred presentation this time of year but larger “Choker” bags with 8-12 or even more eggs in them will work as well. Because the river is running “fast” and the water temp is still “cold” we’ve been running 11-20 gram floats, which slows your presentation down and allows time for the sluggish fish to see or smell your presentation. Remember to use the correct amount of weight to match your float bobber. This will allow your beads or bags to get near the bottom quickly.

Bottom bouncing is also a great technique to use as well. This method allows you to be on the bottom, in the strike zone, at all times.

Remember that this is the spring run. Be selective of fish you’re taking out of the river. Let the females go so they can continue their journey to the tributaries, create the redds, spawn and return back to Lake Michigan. This helps ensure we have a healthy, wild population of steelhead for the future.

Any day now large numbers if fish will be in all of West Michigan’s rivers, so come fish with us and experience what the spring run on the Grand River is all about.

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December….

The steelhead fishing has improved as we received some much needed precipitation. The Grand popped at around 5,000 cfs and has dropped nicely now around 3700. The river is in great shape with some stain to it, perfect conditions for steelhead fishing.

The water temp is around 33 degrees, which means many of the fish are in their winter spots. With that said, however, we are still seeing some fresh fish entering the system. If you stick to it and can tolerate the cold, you’ll be rewarded with fish.

Many people miss out of some of the best steelhead fishing of the year for fear of feeling cold. If that’s the case, then just try a half day. Otherwise, if you’re up to it and want to get outside from all the “stay at home orders” then book a full day.

2021 is just a couple of weeks away and we’ll soon be into the spring steelhead run, which typically starts in March and runs though the end of April. Prime time spots are starting to fill up, so give us call and come and land one of the fastest freshwater fish on the planet.

Captains Tom & Max Werkman

November….

We’re a little behind with our reports as we’ve been busy on the water. While Michigan is under a limited stay-at-home order, we are not affected by it and continue to run trips.

We’ve said goodbye, until April, to the smallmouth and pike and hello to the steelhead. The first part of the month started out slow and has now picked up. Just like the salmon were this year, the steelhead run is somewhat behind. We still need rain and colder weather to get more fish in from Lake Michigan and up into the river system but we are finding fish on a consistent basis.

Right now we finding steelhead, brown trout and rainbow trout in both fall and winter water. Target them in and just outside the seams, cover the pocket water, slack water and transition water. In other words, cover lot of water. Much of the action has been on 8mm beads using 8 lbs leaders as the water is really clear.

The near-term forecast calls for above average temperatures. So if you find yourself getting cabin fever from staying at home, give us a call and come spend a day on the river. We have open dates in December, which can be some of the best steelhead fishing of the year.

Putting On The Pounds….

The Grand River continues to be in fantastic shape for this time of year. Many of its sections are low and gin clear. The gage in Ada has been hovering at 7 feet and the water temps are in the mid to uppers 50’s. As the temps have dropped, so have our tactics as the fish are adding the pounds this time of year.

This time of year the smallmouth are transitioning from their summer water are on the move to their winter water. Along the way, they’re searching for the baitfish to gain weight. You’ll need to cover a lot of water to find them and once you do, you’ll usually find others. When you do, switch to jigs and tubes.

If you’re going to fly fish, use floating line as the river is really shallow and the fish are on the flats looking for bait. We’ve been finding success on articulated flies in natural colors and white. Again, fish the shallow flats, cover a lot of water and don’t over look bucket water, colored bottom and structure.

The pike bite continues to be strong strong on both conventional tackle and flies. As the water temps have dropped, their attitude has become even more nasty and it can go from silence to violence in a nano-second. Expect the unexpected. You can use the same search baits with the pike as you do the smallmouth. In my opinion, if you know how to fly fish, do that as I feel you get a better reaction strike from the pike with a streamer.

Some steelhead are starting to show up in the lower sections of the Grand but it is still early. We need more rain to get the stain and flow rates up to get these fish into the river from the big lake.

We still have some dates open for the end of October and the first part of November for steelhead, pike and smallmouth bass. Give us a shout and enjoy a great day of fishing on the Grand in all the color of fall.

The Other Fall Fish

Let me start off by saying we do salmon trips. Landing one of these bruisers can be the thrill of a life time. They can be big, powerful and full of chaos and attitude

Man holding salmon from the Muskegon River
salmon on the Muskegon River

But with the change of the season also comes a change in the river. The summer filled solitude, quietness and lazy floats can, at times, bring crowded rivers and bumper boats.

With that said, there are still pockets of solitude for the angler who is looking to get away from it all. This time of year the northern pike start to get more aggressive. As the water cools, the pike bite comes alive as they start to put on weight for the coming winter.

Right now, the water temp in the Grand River is in the low 60’s and we are seeing these “advocates of the devil” appear more and more in their traditional waters. Don’t get me wrong, if you want to specifically target these guys you’ll need to hunt for them, cover lots of water. Like salmon, you’ll have good days and not so good days.

Why pike you ask? While the salmon can easily get you into your backing, the pike won’t. But the visualness of a pike take is something you won’t forget. As you strip the streamer you’ll be able to see the pike come out of nowhere and smack, with all the aggression of a salmon, your fly.

It seems our best action comes on stripping streamers. We have been using Schultzy’s Sculpin patterns and have found good success with them. For some reason the way they flow through the water as they’re stripping has an enticing affect on the pike that they cannot resist. Casting is key during this time as you’ll need to get tight to structure. Use a good pair of sunglasses, I like Costa’s, so you can see the underwater logs, root balls, and rocks as a lot of times the pike will hide under and close to those. Mix up your strip, from quick and long too slow and short, even during the same retrieve.

Fall is really on of the best times of the year to get on the river. There’s so much opportunity for the angler to catch multiple species of fish. From salmon and steelhead to northern pike and smallmouth bass. We still have availability this fall, so give us a call and book your trip.

  • Captain Tom Werkman

Low & Clear.

The Grand River is low. The gage in Ada, for a brief period, dipped below 6.75 feet. Even with the recent rains the river didn’t pop all that much and is coming back down quickly. Clarity went from gin clear to slightly stained. With no rain in the near term forecast, it should remain that way for awhile. The river temps remain in the upper 70’s.

The near term forecast calls for below normal temps. Hopefully, that will drop the river temps below 70 degrees. Once that happens, the pike activity should begin to improve as we saw for a brief period a couple of weeks ago when a strong cold front moved through.

Fishing has been good. As the river has dropped the smallmouth start to hold more in the bucket water, near structure and just along the seams. If you find all three of these in one location fish it. Patience and persistence is being rewarded and will bring fish to net.

Salmon are not showing up yet in the middle section. It’s too early and the water is too warm. Steelhead season is just around the corner. The best time to fish for these on the Grand will be starting at the end of October right on through December. For those of you that fish with Max, he will be back from Alaska by November 1 so give us call and get a date booked with him.

Grand Rapids steelhead
Man holding a steelhead

I have to say, the last three months have been incredible for us as a business. Thank you! Thank you to all of our clients that have booked and rebooked with us. Yes, I enjoy getting people on fish and seeing the smiles and laughter that comes with a great day on the river. However, more importantly for me, I enjoy the relationships that are being built! Until next month…..

Captain Tom Werkman

Fantastic Fishing!

The Grand River continues to be in great shape and is fishing well. It’s low and water clarity is the best we’ve seen in quite sometime for this river. When we do get rain, the grasses are acting as filer to help keep the clarity in check.

With the recent cold front, water temps are in the low 70’s. The smallmouth continue to be in their summer patter and tight to structure. Lately it seems that the afternoon bite is the strongest, although we are getting fish through out the day.

If you’ve ever wanted to fish an urban river and feel like you’re 1,000 miles from nowhere, now’s the time. So come and Experience Grand Rapids and all the fishing opportunities the Grand River has to offer. Give us call today.

Captain Tom Werkman

The Grand’s In Great Shape

We’ve hit the summer fishing patterns. After a wet spring that postponed some of our fishing trips, as a result of high river flows, the Grand has dropped to around 8 feet in Ada. Clarity is great right now at around 3 feet. Remember, the Grand River is the second largest drainage system in Michigan so there will always be some stain to it.

Smallmouth are now in their summer mode, sitting tight to structure and in the deeper holes. We’ve been finding them in 5 to 8 feet. You’ll need to make a number of passes through the holes and against the structure to entice the larger ones to take your lure.

Dredging continues to produce. We’re using creature baits in black with blue and red flicking. 1/4 oz bullet weights and 4/0 hooks. Line is 20 lbs Power Pro High-Vis Yellow tied right to the hooks. This allows us to get right into the structure without fear of losing the fish after there take.

Pike action has been good, however, with water temps approaching near 80 please don’t play them very long, take a quick picture and return them back to the river quickly. At these temps, the pike are stressed and any prolonged play and extended picture taking will increase mortality.

Double willow bladed spinner baits and Mepps Muskey Killers are our goto’s. Fish the slack water and sloughs. Make several casts, keep your eye on the water and watch for the follow. Many times, pike will follow your lure to the boat. After the follow, if the take doesn’t happen, then cast right back out and be ready.

Summer time is one of the best times to be on the Grand and right now we have almost perfect conditions. If you want to catch smallmouth on Michigan’s largest river give us a call.

Grand River Fishing Report

This has been a crazy winter with the mild temps. Ice has been non-existent to mostly unsafe and the Grand is finally in good shape. Here is our Grand River fishing report as of February 18, 2020.

Steelhead Fishing:

With temps around freezing we’ve been able to get out on the river and chase some steelhead. Along with the dark fall hold-overs, fresh chrome fish have been showing up in the systems. This means that our spring run of steelhead is just starting and fishing will continue to get better.

  • Man holding a steelhead caught on the lower Kalamazoo

Eggs and spawn have been the most productive. Chartreuse and white colored bags are what works best. Usually running around 4-8 eggs in a spawn bag.  Beads such as peachy king, glow roe, and egg yolk are also working. Try using sizes 8 millimeters all the way to 12 millimeters based on water level. Jigs tipped with wax worms have also been bringing some fish in. 

Ice Fishing:

Safe ice has been hit or miss on area lakes. Last week the ice was safe and we could get out. With this weekends warm up, much of that ice will melt. Please pay attention to weather and call local bait shops to make sure there is safe ice. Many people have ventured out only to fall through.

When we could get on safe ice, the bluegill fishing was good. Small jigs tipped with spikes are the number one bait. Slowly jig a foot or two off the bottom in about 6 to 10 feet of water.

Perch fishing has been on fire. A live minnow will always work. Use double perch rigs just off the bottom as well as jigging something with a rattle in it. Your target water depth will be between 20 to 40.

Spring is just around the corner and so are the steelhead. Give us a call to book your trip. March and April are excellent times to get in on the run.

Grand River Fishing Report

Grand River Update:

Here’s the latest from the frontlines as of November 11, 2019 for steelhead on the Grand River and the 2019 / 2020 ice fishing season. The Grand River is slowly becoming fishable again after the heavy rains form a couple of weeks ago. Right now, the Grand us running at 8,620 cfs., down from a high of 16,000 a week ago. Clarity is improving and the water temp is in the upper 30’s to low 40’s.

Even though the Grand was “blow out” we continued to run guide trips on other river systems and continued to find find steelhead. With the early winter and the cold temps we’ve been finding steelhead in their normal winter spots. Try fishing the slower dark water. When you find seams, fish both the inside and outside for the best results.

Two men rowing a river near Grand Rapids Michigan
Blue sky snow covered trees on a river near Grand Rapids Michigan

For us, beads continue to produce and we’ve picked up a few on the swing as well. If you’re going to use beads, try using non-straight colors such as MottledBeads and Blooddot Eggs. Most of the steelhead have come on 8 mm with some browns taking 10 mm. Try everything from chartreuse as the top bead to Glow Roe, Mango Egg, Peachy King Roe or Oregon Cheese on the dropper bead. If a pair isn’t working, remember to mix the combinations up.

Man holding a steelhead caught on a river near Grand Rapids Michigan
Man holding a steelhead
Two men holding a steelhead caught on the Grand River

On the spin gear we’re using 12 lbs. mono mainline to either 10 lbs. leader or 8 lbs leader with a Raven 8 gram or 11 gram bobber and #6 hooks with the 8 mm beads and #4 hooks with the 10mm beads.

Ice Fishing:

Right now the winter forecast is calling for a cold and snowy winter for Michigan. Ideal for ice fishing. As a reminder and as safe ice dictates, we offer guided ice trips. We provide all the ice gear, heated shanties, electronics and tips ups you’ll need for a successful day on the hardwater. If you book a full day, we even cook you a hot lunch in the shanty.

Woman in an ice shanty on Hamlin Lake ice fishing
Ice Shanty
Boy holding a northern pike caught ice fishing

Just because it’s cold out, doesn’t mean you need to stop fishing. Ice fishing can be a ton of fun with your family and / or your friends. Whether it’s on a river or on the hardwater book your trip with us an get in on all the angling action that Michigan and Grand Rapids have to offer.

Captain Tom Werkman